schlemmer



Feb. 7, 1956 c. F 'SCH| EMMER 2,733,584

METHOD OF KNITTING FULL-FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed NOV. 7, 1951 '4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Clzlriflia/nfi Scblemmar' ATTO RNEY Feb. 7, 1956 c. F. SCHLEMMER 2,733,584

METHOD OF KNITTING FULL-FASHiONED HOSIERY Filed Nov. 7. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ('[pnshan E i-blemmer BY M/Q ATTO RNEY Feb. 7, 1956 c. F. SCHLEMMER 2,733,534

METHOD OF KNITTING FULL-FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed NOV. 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 .9 I 7 1 5% 5 M 80 6 7 21 92 7 8z 102 76 0% .91

N v E NTOR (.rwiian ESciMemm/er ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1956 c. F. SCHLEMMER 2,733,584

METHOD OF KNITTING FULL-FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed Nov. 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5/ 2 g o I BY Z /1% ATTO R N EY METHOD OF KNITTING FULL-FASHIONED HOSIERY Christian F. Schlemmer, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 7, 1951, Serial No. 255,199

8 Claims. (Cl. 66-89) The present invention relates to the production of fullfashioned stockings and to an improved method for producing the toe portions of the stocking blanks.

' More particularly, the invention relates to a novel method of making diamond point narrowings in the toe portions of stocking blanks having loopless toes and knitting on a single unit machine.

The blanks for loopless toe full-fashioned stockings as presently produced, are knitted in the usual manner until the normal looping line is reached. Knitting is then continued but with narrowing at a very rapid rate until the number of loops in the course on the needles is such that a strip of such courses will have a width permitting it to be taken into the seam during the seaming operation. A short strip of fabric of such width is then knit and cast off, This method is readily carried out on standard full-fashioned knitting machines if single narrowing lines are used in the conventional portion of the toe. Where, however, the diamond point narrowing is to be employed, difiicult problems in machine operation are encountered which have not heretofore been successfully solved.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a novel method of knitting stocking blanks on fullfashioned knitting machines particularly those of the single unit type, to provide both diamond point narrowings and looplcss toes.

A well known type of full-fashioned single unit knitting machine, the Reading machine, has four narrowing rods, two of the rods supporting wide and narrow narrowing combs, respectively, for operation at one side of the stocking blank and the other two supporting wide and narrow combs respectively for operationat the other side, the arrangement of the rods and combs being the same as that on the ordinary footer machine. In the regular operation of this machine the narrow combs are placed at the centers of the sections to be out of the way when not needed, the wide combs being used alone for all fashioning except for making the double rowsor lines of fashioning marks producing the diamond point toe. For the latter operation the narrow combs are brought into play and are initially set a one needle distance from the wide combs. During the fashioning operation to form the upper parallel rows of fashion marks in the diamond point toe the wide combs are moved in the distance of two needles to carry the narrow combs with them the distance of one needle. The wide combs are then moved out a distance of one needle to be in position for the next narrowing operation. To form the lower converging rows of fashion marks in the diamond point toe, the wide combs continue to move in the distance of two needles and to carry the narrow combs the distance of one needle. The wide combs remain in the latter position and the narrow combs are moved in a distance of one needle for the next narrowing operation. The converging points of the diamonds thus produced lie in substantially the last course of the atent conventional type stocking blank where the toe is finished by doubling the toe portion and looping the loops of the last course.

In the construction of the loopless toe stocking, which eliminates the need of the looping operation, knitting is continued from the normal looping line but with rapid narrowing. However, in order to do this the wide and narrow combs at each side of the blank must be operated as a single comb. Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved method for performing such operations.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative and practical embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention comprises the novel method steps, elements, features of construction and combination of parts in cooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an end elevation of the left end of a fullfashioned knitting machine having a fashioning head (so-called narrowing head) of a generally standardized character but modified to incorporate features of the invention and adapted to operate to carry out the steps of the present method invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of a portion of Fig. 1, showing a special narrowing pawl which has been added to the present standard arrangement to attain the objects of the invention, and showing a portion of the means for controlling the special narrowing pawl;

Fig. 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of a portion of Fig. 2 taken looking in the direction of the arrows on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the point moving spindle and worms thereon forming part of Fig. 1 and showing also the nuts on the worms, the four narrowing rods operated by the nuts, the connections for moving the rods by the nuts and the locks for fastening the rods together in pairs for the periods desired;

Fig. 6 is a detail view on a further enlarged scale of one of the locks of Fig. 5 shown in locking position;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a blank for a single unit stocking made by a machine embodying the mechanical features shown herein and operated to carry out the method of the invention, the distance breaks indicating omission of a portion of the leg or boot of the blank; and

Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views showing successive relative positions of the carrier rod end stops, the four narrowing rods, the stops therefor and the two pairs of combs, during a cycle of point movements in making the lower or diamond point narrowings.

In the drawings and description, only the means necessary to a complete understanding of the method invention are specifically set forth; further information as to the construction and operation of other related, usual and well known knitting machine elements, mechanisms, etc., may be found in one or more of the following publications:

1. Pamphlet entitled-Full-Fashiorled Knitting Machines-published and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1920.

2. Four Catalogs entitled-The Reading Full-Fash ioned Knitting Machine Parts Catalog-published and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, in 1929, 1935, 1940 and 1947, respectively.

3. Booklet entitled- The Reading High Production Ful -Fashioned Knitting Machine-which, forming a supplement to the above noted 1940 Parts Catalog of the Textile Machine Works, is a publication of the Textile Machine Works, copyrighted by the latter in 1940.

4. Pamphlet entitledKnitting Machine Lecturespublished by the Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, in 1935.

A stocking blank B such as that shown in Fig. 8 comprises a usual turned welt portion 10, leg portion 12, heel portions 14, sole portions 16, toe portion 20 and a toe tip portion 22. The leg, heel and sole portions are fashioned by wide point combs while the narrow point combs associated with the wide combs as hereinafter set forth, are held inactive at the center of the blank in the usual manner. Prior to forming diamond toe fashion marks 23 in the toe portion 28, the narrow point combs are moved from their inactive position at the center of the blank B into a position spaced one needle from the wide combs. In forming upper parallel lines 24 of the diamond toe fashion marks 23, the wide combs are moved to transfer the selvage loops two needles in the narrowing direction to form the outer line of marks and the wide combs which are spaced one needle from the narrow combs, move the narrow combs to transfer the loops engaged thereby one needle in the narrowing direction to form the inner lines of marks. After each fashioning operation, the wide combs are idly moved outwardly one needle to again space the wide combs one needle from the narrow combs, this action also causing the parallel lines of marks to be formed progressively closer to the selvage edges of the blank.

In forming lower lines 26 of the diamond toe fashion marks 23, which are shown converging to points, the wide combs continue to transfer the selvage loops two needles in the narrowing direction to form the outer line of marks. In forming the inner lines 26 of fashion marks, certain of the points of the narrow combs are covered by a usual center covering knife, the remaining points of the narrow combs transferring the loops engaged thereby one needle in the narrowing direction. Following each narrowing operation in lines 26, the narrow combs are idly moved one needle in the narrowing direction to again space the narrow combs a one needle distance from the wide combs. It is to be noted that by omitting the idle outward movement of the wide combs the outer lines of marks are formed parallel to the selvage edges of the blank.

Following the narrowing operation to form the last mark in lines 26 of fashion marks 23, the wide and narrow point combs are connected so as to operate as single combs to form the lines of fashion marks 28 in the toe tip portion 22.0f blank B. After each of these latter fashioning operations, the combined combs are idly moved outwardly a one needle distance which causes the lines of fashion marks 28 to converge toward each other and toward the selvage edges of the blank. The blank B is completed by forming a short ravel area 30 which is subsequently taken into the seam joining the selvage edges of the blank.

It is to be understood that no novelty is claimed herein for any feature of the stocking blank B. However, the invention resides in a novel method of manipulating the wide and narrow point combs in forming the lower portions 26 of the diamond point toe fashion marks 23, as hereinafter set forth.

Following the two needle movement of the wide combs and one needle movement of the narrow combs to form the first fashion marks in the outer and inner lines 26, respectively, of the diamond toe fashion marks 23, the

wide and narrow combs are idly moved a further distance of one needle in the narrowing direction to position the narrow combs for the start of the next fashioning operation. Before the next narrowing operation, the wide combs are idly moved outwardly a distance of one needle to again position the wide combs one needle from the narrow combs.

A machine for making stocking blanks such as the blank B, comprises, in addition to the ordinary yarn laying, loop forming, knitting, pattern and welt turning mechanisms, not shown, a fashioning or narrowing mechanism including a narrowing head at each end of the machine such as the left head shown in Fig. 1. Head 50 is shown as mounted in the ordinary way at one end of a frame 52 and as including an end stop spindle 54 and a point comb spindle 56. Spindle 54 is threaded (Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive) for moving a threaded nut 58 on which is mounted a set of end stops 6% for determining the traverse of the rods 61, one of which is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12, for the yarn carriers (not shown). By turning the spindle 54 one way or the other, the position of stops 60 is changed to assist in narrowing or widening the fabric by decreasing or increasing the number of needles to which the yarn carrier or carriers can lay yarn. The point comb spindle 56 has reversely threaded portions each of which carries a nut 62 or 64. As the spindle 56 is turned one way or the other, the nuts 62 and 64 are caused to move toward or away from each other depending on the direction in which the spindle is turned. The longitudinal movements of nuts 62 and 64 are utilized, in the machine shown, to shift the nar rowing or fashioning rods of which four are shown (Figs. 5 and 9 to 12, inclusive), two for the combs for operating on the right hand selvages of the blanks knitted on each section of the machine and two for the combs for operating on the left hand selvages. The individual rods carry point combs the upper rod of each pair having a narrow comb 67 (Figs. 5 and 9 to 12) and the lower rod of each pair having a wide comb 69, the combs 67 and 69 having points 66 cooperating with needles 68 in the usual manner. The rods for the right hand combs comprise the upper pair and are designated as 70 and 71, respectively. The remaining pair of rods for the left hand combs are designated as 72 and 73, respectively. For transmitting thelongitudinal movements of the nuts 62 and 64 to the rods 70-73, the nuts have vertical standards 74 and 75 (Fig. 5) fixed thereto respectively. The rods 71 and 73 have means fixed thereto whereby they are connected to the standards. Such means comprise, as shown, pairs of lugs 76 and 78 fastened to the rods 71 and 73, respectively, on opposite sides of standards 74, 75 said lugs 76 and 78 having contact bolts 86 and 82 which are adapted to engage the opposite faces of the standards 74 and 75. It will be seen that this arrangement causes the spindle 56 to shift rods 71 and 73 and their associated wide combs in both directions to carry out both widening and narrowing. Rods 79 and 72, however, are not usually moved by the nuts 62 and 64 except to transfer loops in the narrowing direction. Therefore, rods 70 and 72 have only a single contact bolt apiece, designated as 84 and 86, respectively, for contacting an opposed face of standards 74 and 75, respectively. The narrow combs are usually positioned at the centers of the knitting sections until thebeginning of the toe; portion 20 and are prevented from acting on the loops during fashioning cycles by means of conventional center covering knives 87, shown diagrammatically in Figs. 9-12. In Fig. 5, rods 70 and 72 are shown in positions in which their associated combs are idle and set at such usual position at the center of a knitting sec tion. When it is desired to operate rods 70 and 72 and their combs in the formation of the lines of fashion marks 23, rods 70 and 72 are manually moved to bring the contact bolts 84 and 86 into contact with standards 74 and 75, respectively, and then moved to space the bolts single needle distances away from the standards. The nuts 62-and 64 are then operated to move the wide and narrow combs 69 and 67, respectively, to form the lines time;

of fashion marks 23 in the toe portion as hereinbefore set forth.

At the completion of the diamond toe fashion marks 23, it is desired to operate the wide and narrow combs in unison which requires their rods to be releasably secured together. For this purpose, manually operated locks or latches 90 and 91 are fastened to rods 70 and 72, respectively, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. Said looks each comprises a housing 93 secured to a point comb rod. Within each housing 93 is a bolt 94 having a handle 92 and a head portion 97 which is biased by a spring 96 toward a recess 102 in a dog 100, one of which is secured to each of rods 71 and 73. When the rods are to be operated individually, the handles 92 are raised and turned parallel to the rods (Fig. 5) to rest in a notch 104 (Fig. 7) at the upper end of each housing 93. The plunger 94 is therefore raised, the spring 96 compressed and the latch head 97 withdrawn from recess 102 and therefore free of the dog 100. When it is desired to latch rods 70-73 together in pairs, it is necessary only to move the rods from the positions shown in Fig. 5 to those corresponding to Figs. 6 and 7 in which the plungers 94 are alined with the recesses 102. This relative position is produced automatically when operating according to the present invention, so that the latching operation may be performed with maximum facility. Then by turning handles 92 so that they lie at right angles to the rods, springs 96 are enabled to press the handles into notches 105 in the upper edges of the housings 93 and the latch heads 97 into recesses 102 to lock the rods together in pairs. Each of the narrow combs will then function as a unit with its associated wide comb.

The narrowing head 50 is in general of a known design. Except for a special pawl and modifications of the cam control means required to produce a certain effect in an improved manner and hereinafter pointed out in detail, head 50 is substantially identical with that shown in the patent of Herbert E. Haehnel, No. 2,655,- 018, issued October 13, 1953, for Method and Fashioning Means for Knitting Machines. Said head comprises a mechanism for turning said spindles 54 and 56 in one direction or the other and includes a narrowing pawl 110 acting on a ratchet (not shown) on the spindle 54, and a narrowing pawl 112 (Fig. l) acting on a ratchet 114 on the spindle 56, partially shown in Fig. 2. Pawls 110 and 112 are pivoted to levers 111 and 113 respectively which are in turn pivoted on the spindles 54 and 56. Levers 111 and 113 are connected to an actuator member 118 which is operated as hereinafter set forth to actuate the pawls 110 and 112 to turn the spindles 54 and 56. Also carried on the actuator 118' are two widening pawls 116 and 117, pawl 116 acting on a ratchet 108 on spindle 54 and pawl 117 acting on a ratchet 109 on spindle 56. Actuator 118 also carries a pull back pawl 119 which acts on ratchet 109 to turn the spindle 56 in the widening direction and a special pawl 121 acting on the ratchet 114 (Fig. 2) to turn the spindle 56 in the narrowing direction. Pawls 110, 112, 116 and 117 not on an upstroke of actuator 118 and pawls 119 and 121 act on a downstroke of the actuator.

Actuator member 118 is pivotally connected to a lever 122 pivoted in turn to the frame 52 at point 124. Lever 122 has a cam follower 126 pivoted thereon in the usual way and adapted to be shifted longitudinally of its axis of rotation to cooperate with either of two cams 12S and 130 fixed on main cam shaft 129. During knitting cycles in which no operation of spindle 54 or 56 is to occur, cam follower 126 is positioned in a plane between cams 128 and 130. When narrowing pawls 110 and 112 or widening pawls 116 and 117 are to operate in a fashioning cycle, the usual main pattern chain (not shown) causes the camshaft 129 to be shogged to move the cam 128 into the plane of follower 126. Lever 122 and actuator 118 are then lifted to cause the selected pawls to operate on their ratchets to turn the spindles in either the narrowing or widening direction. When permitted, the pull-back pawl 119 as well as pawl 121 operate on the downstroke of the actuator 118 and in the latter part of a narrowing cycle. If however, the actuator and at least one of spindles 54 and 56 is to operate in a couliering cycle, the shaft 129 is not shogged but follower 126 is shifted into the plane of cam 130 as hereinafter set forth.

Means are required to control the different pawls so that the proper one or ones will be effective only at the desired times. One necessary feature of the pawl control means comprises means for disabling widening pawls 116 and 117 during narrowing operations and for disabling narrowing pawls 110 and 112 during widening operations. Such means comprises a pair of plate cams 134 and 136 pivoted on the spindles 54 and 56, respectively, and connected to each other by means of a link 135 so that movement of one cam causes simultaneous movement of the other cam. Cams 134 and 136 are ing operations and during narrowing cycles in which the main camshaft is shogged. Said swinging means comprises a rod or link 140 connected at its upper end to cam 134 and at its lower end to one arm of a bell-crank 144 another arm 145 of which is connected to and operated by a rod 146 which extends along the rear of the machine frame. Rod 146 is given movements of two different extents both of which, however, only move rod 149 sufficiently to turn plate cams 134 and 136 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, to render narrowing pawls 110 and 112 ineffective. When pawls 116 and 117 are to operate during a fashioning cycle, the movement of rod 146 does not affect cam follower 126 and a shogging movement of the cam shaft 129 moves cam 128 into the plane of follower 126. When, however, it is desired to operate widening pawl 117 during a couliering cycle and therefore when camshaft 129 is not shogged, rod 146 is moved in such a way as to operate a lever 132 to shiftfollower 126 into the path of cam 130. The means for operating rod 146 to control the positions of follower 126 and plate cams 134 and 136 is not shown herein but is fully disclosed in said patent of Herbert E. Haehnel, No. 2,655,018.

Further control means are utilized in connection with the pawls disclosed as forming parts of head 50. One such means is operated by the actuator 118 and comprises a star-cam wheel 166 having cam tracks one of which controls the operation of a lever 170 to hold the widening pawl 116 disengaged from its ratchet 103 during three of each four operating movements of the actuator. A second one of the cam tracks operates a lever 178 to hold the widening pawl 117 disengaged from its ratchet 109 during alternate operating movements of the actuator.

Another situation in which widening pawl 116 is held out of action by lever 170 occurs when widening pawl 117 is operated to move the comb spindle 5'6 one needle distance in the widening direction in a oouliering cycle. This is during formation of the diamond points or lower lines 26 of fashion marks 23 in the toe portion 20 of the blank B. Here, however, the widening action follows a narrowing cycle and it is only necessary that the beginning of the group of fashion marks come when the lever 178 is in position to permit the pawl 117 to operate. Star-cam wheel 166, lever 170 for pawl 116 and lever 178 for pawl widening pawl 116 for narrowing spindle 54.

7 117 are operated as described and for the purpose set forth in said Patent No. 2,655,018.

For controlling the three pawls which act at times on point comb spindle 56, several additional features are provided, as well as an additional control means for the in the first place, plate earn 136 is contoured so that widening pawl 117 for the point comb spindle can move this spindle only one needle space during any widening operation. Plate cam 136 is also provided with a high portion 171 (Fig. i) which is adapted to engage a pin 172 on pawl 121 to hold the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet during its downward movement following certain widening movements of the spindle 56 by means of the pawl 117 as hereinafter set forth. The special pawl 121 is provided with a cam-like portion 175 (Fig. 2) which engages the ratchet 114 to position the pawl to limit its downward puli on the ratchet to one tooth and therefore, a one needle movement of the spindle 56 in the narrowing direction.

It being desired that both pawls 117 and 121 be incapacitated during the knitting of the welt of a blank, a finger 184 is fixed to nut 64 on spindle 56 and arranged to en gage pawl 117 and pawl 121 to hold them both out of action when the nuts 62 and 64 are at the greatest distance from each other, their position during knitting of the widest part of the fabric blank. As the nuts 62 and 64 are moved toward each other to narrow the leg portion of the blank B, the finger 184 disengages pawls 117 and 121., pawl 117 then being held inactive by plate cam 136 and pawl 121 by control means as hereinafter set forth.

A further control means is provided which is generally of a usual character but which has been modified to operate according to the invention. This control means comprises a cam follower portion 1%, shown in Figs. l4, which is mounted on a bracket 192 fixed to and supported on an arm 194 integral with the end stop nut 58 in the usual manner (not shown). Cam follower portion 19%) therefore is traversed longitudinally of the spindles 54 and 56, as a fabric blank is knitted, and is adapted to engage high cam blocks 200, 203 and 204 and a low cam block 202 secured to a bar 196 by means of bolts 198. Bar 196 is mounted on generally vertical levers such as 206, one of which appears in Figs. 1 and 2 and which are placed one at each end of bar 196. Levers 206 are fastened to a shaft 208 which passes through bracket 192 and is pivotally mounted in brackets (not shown) fixed 'to the main frame. Levers 206 are biased in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, by a spring 210 connected to the lower end of lever 206 and the pawl 116. At its lower end, the lever 206 has pivotally connected thereto a link 212 which is pivoted in turn to pull-- back pawl 119 at point 214. The angular position of lever 206 therefore determines whether pawl 119 will actuate spindle 56 when a reciprocation of actuator 118 occurs. Link 212 also carries a contact bolt 216 for engagement with a portion 217 of the pawl 121, the portion 217 being biased toward the bolt by a spring 215 (Fig. 2). When cam follower portion 199 is in engagement with high cam blocks 200, 203 and 204 and low cam block 202 the lever 206 and link 212 are positioned sufiiciently toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, to maintain pawl 119 disengaged from the ratchet 109. High cam blocks 200, 203 and 204 also maintain bolt 216 in retracted position relative to portion 217 whereby pawl 121 is permitted to engage ratchet 114 unless otherwise controlled. Low cam block 202 causes bolt 216 to engage portion 217 to hold pawl 121 away from ratchet 114.

Lever 206 is also adapted to hold widening pawl 116 out of action when follower portion 190 is in engagement with high cam blocks 200, 203 and 204. For this purpose one end of a link 218 is pivoted to the lower end of lever 206 and its other end to an extension of the pawl 116 as shown in Fig. 1. Due to this arrangement, clockwise movement of lever 206 caused by high cam blocks 200, 203 and 204 will also swing pawl 116 clockwise and away from ratchet 108 on spindle 54.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description, although directed to the narrowing head 50 at the left end of the machine, shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, also covers the structure and operation of the narrowing head 50 at the right end of the machine. Also, the narrowing rods 70, 71, 72 and 73 are split so that the combs 6769 for half of the knitting sections of the machine are operated from the right narrowing head 50 and the combs for the other half of the knitting sections are operated from the left head 50 in the usual manner.

Starting at the beginning of the welt (with the wide point combs positioned their greatest distance from each other and the narrow combs at the center of the blank), there are no fashioning cycles until the start of the leg narrowings. Therefore, no movements are required of the fashioning spindles until the end of the afterwelt and, it being customary to set the spindles at the beginning of a blank B so their nuts will be at the extreme ends of their paths, the cam follower portion 1% will engage cam block 200 as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4. Cam block 200 being high, lever 206 will be moved the greatest extent in the clockwise direction and the widening pawl 116 for stop spindle 54 will be held out of action by link 218. Also, pull-back pawl 11% is held out of action by lever 206 through link 2112 while pawl 117 and special narrowing pawl 121 are held out of action by finger 184 on nut 64. This position or" the parts is maintained until part way through the leg narrowings. Continued formation of the leg narrowings causes the follower portion 190 to pass onto cam block 202. Engagement of portion 190 with cam block 202 causes lever 206 to be angularly positioned so that it continues to hold the pull-back pawl 119 inactive through link 212 as before. Special narrowing pawl 121 and widening pawl 117 have been released by finger 134 but pawl 121 is now held out of action by contact bolt 216 on link 212 and widening pawl 117 is prevented from acting by plate cam 136 because there are no widening cycles. Similarly lever 206 has released widening pawl 116 but it is prevented from acting by plate cam 134. At the end of the leg narrowings the follower portion 190 is on the cam block 262. After resetting the wide combs inwardly the heel portions are widened in the manner disclosed in said Patent No. 2,655,018. As the heel portions 14 are widened the follower portion 196 reverses itself and moves toward the right along the cam block 202 until it again engages cam block 200 at which time the heel portions have been widened to the desired width. In the lower part of heel section 14, usual heel covering knives are brought into action to prevent the combs from acting on the selvage loops and engagement of the follower portion 190 with high cam block 200 again holds pawl 116 inactive. Also, the finger 184 on nut 64 again engages and inactivates special pawl 121. With the parts in these positions, widening pawl 117 continues to cause the wide combs to transfer certain of the loops outwardly in the heel portions but, however, without changing the width of the heel portions. Following the formation of the heel portions 14 the fabric is narrowed to the sole width with the follower portion 190 again moving off the high cam block 200 onto the low cam block 2112 which holds pawl 121 inactive after it is again released by finger 184. At this time the widening pawls 116 and 117 are held inactive by cams 134 and 136 in the usual manner. During the last narrowing to reduce the fabric to the sole width, the follower portion still engages the left end of low cam block 202.

At the start of the toe portion 20 the wide combs are reset inwardly by turning spindle 56 by hand and the rods and 72 of the narrow combs adjusted outwardly until bolts 84 and 86 stand one needle space from the heads 74 and 75, respectively. Therefore, narrowing operations will move the wide combs theirusual two meet needle distances and the narrow combs only one needle distances thereby forming the parallel lines 24 of fashion marks. During the formatic of the first fashion marks in lines 24 the follower portion 190 moves off the low cam block into the space between blocks 202 and 2032(l4-. This action swings lever 206'counterclockwise and moves link 212 to the right as viewed in Pig. 2,

to position pawl 119 for engagement with the ratchet 109. Following the first and each subsequent narrowing operation the pull-back pawl 119 moves the wide combs outwardly to again position the wide combs one needle space from the narrow combs. This cycle is then repeated as often as necessary to finish the parallel lines 24. During the last narrowing operation to form parallel lines 24 the follower 19% moves onto the high cam blocks 203204 which swings lever 206 clockwise and draws links 212 and 218 to the left to move the pawls 119 and 116, respectively, to inactive position. Movement of the link 212 to the left also throws the special pawl 121 into action by withdrawing contact bolt 216 out of the path of this pawl. Also, during the last narrowing operation to form parallel lines 24, the distance between the narrow combs is reduced to the width of the center covering knife, whereupon, during subsequent narrowing operations the covering knife covers certain of the points in the narrow combs to form the inner lines of marks in lines 26 as hereinbefore set forth.

The pull-back pawl being now out of action, the function of spacing the narrow from the wide combs to continue production of a pair of lines by each pair of combs is taken over by the widening pawl 117 and the special pawl 121. In order to produce this spacing effect by the pawls 117 and 121, the wide and narrow combs being spaced one needle apart by the last operative stroke of pull-back pawl 119, the first narrowing operation after the knife has been put into action moves the wide combs two needle distances and the narrow combs single needle distances on the upstroke of the actuator as when making the parallel lines. On the downstroke of the actuator, pawl 121 being in action engages ratchet 114 to turn spindle 56 to idly move both wide and narrow combs an additional single needle distance in the narrowing direction. This leaves the wide and narrow combs still in contact whereas they need to be spaced in order to continue to make the two sets of lines 26. To space the combs apart, before another narrowing cycle, the widening pawl 117 is operated by an upstroke of the actuator 118 in the next couliering or knitting cycle to idly step the wide combs single needle spaces outward, that is in the widening direction. At this time the widening pawl 116 for the end stop spindle is held inactive by high cams 2113 and 294 and the high portion 171 of plate cam 136 engages the pin 172 in pawl 121 to hold the pawl 121 inactive during the downstroke of the actuator 118.

The relative movements of the end stop nuts 58, the narrowing rods and associated pairs of narrow and wide combs 67 and 69 and the combined standards and stops for the narrowing rods on the nuts 62 and 64 are indicated in the diagrammatic views 9l2. Fig. 9 shows these parts as they appear at the beginning of a cycle the positions of the nut 58 and left nut 64 of the left narrowing head 50 being indicated by lines 0, and the rod 72 being spaced from the nut 64 a distance O-l" to separate the left pair of wide and narrow combs 69-67 a distance of one needle. Fig. 10 shows them in the relative positions assumed after each end stop nut 58 has been moved a distance "-2 or two needle spaces, and the nut 64 a distance 0-2 to move the wide combs a two needle space and the narrow combs a single needle space. Fig. 11 shows these parts after the nut 64 has been moved a distance 23 to move the left pair of wide and narrow combs an additional single needle distance, the end stop nut, however, remaining in the same is l position as in Fig. 10. Fig. 12' shows the parts after the nut 64 has been moved a distance 3-2 to move.

the wide comb a single needle space in the widening direction, the narrow comb remaining in the position of Fig. 11 which again positions the wide and narrow combs one needle apart and the rod 72 a distance 0-1 from the nut 64.

The complete cycle shown in Figs. 9-12 is then repeated, with the wide combs forming the outer lines 26 and the covering knife 87 progressively blocking out the points of the narrow combs to form the inner lines, until the lines have come together. While mechanism has been disclosed which is adapted to carry out the method indicated in Figs. 9-12, it can, of course, be performed manually by moving the yarn carrier rod by hand and turning the end stop and point comb spindles by hand, handles always being provided on full-fashioned machines to permit the spindles to be turned after the pawls have been rendered inactive.

During the last narrowing operation to bring the lines 26 together to form the diamond points, the follower p0rtion 196 moves off the high cam blocks 2ii3-2tl4 to move the pull-back pawl 119 into active position and the pawl 121 to inactive position thereby preventing the one needle idle movement of the combs in the narrowing direction. Also the cam plate 136' remains in the position of Figs. 1 and 2 to prevent the pawl 117 from acting to move the wide combs one needle in the widening direction. The bolts 94 of the locks 90 and 91 are then manipulated to lock the rods 7071 and 7273, respectively, together, the spindle 56 is manually turned to move the inner points in the narrow combs into line with the diamond points and the center covering knife is moved to inactive position.

The machine is then operated to move the combined wide and narrow combs two needles in the narrowing direction to produce lines of fashion marks 28. After each narrowing operation the pull-back pawl 119 turns the spindle 56 to idly move the combs one needle in the widening direction which causes the lines of marks 28 to converge toward each other and toward the selvage edges of the blank. Following the formation of tip portion 22 a short ravel area 39 is formed to complete the blank.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described, by which the above described results are obtained, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. The method of operating the wide and narrow point combs of a full-fashioned knitting machine to form diamond points in the toe of a stocking blank which comprises starting a cycle when the narrow point combs are spaced inwardly single needle distances from the wide point combs, lifting loops by points of said wide and narrow point combs while preventing certain of the inner points of said narrow combs from lifting loops, moving said wide combs two needle distances and thereby moving the narrow combs single needle distances, redepositing the loops on the points onto the needles, moving both the wide and narrow combs while in contact single needle distances inwardly, withdrawing the wide combs single needle distances outwardly from the narrow combs and repeating the said cycle of movement to form diamond points.

2. The method of forming narrowing lines in the toe sections of flat blanks for full-fashioned stockings comprising setting narrow point combs each a one needle distance from a wide point comb on the inner side thereof, covering certain of the inner points of said narrow combs to prevent engagement of loops by said covered points, lifting loops on uncovered points of all said combs, moving the wide combs inwardly two needle spaces to move the narrow combs single needle distances, placing the loops taken up by the points back on the '11 needles, moving the wide and narrow combs together single needle distances inwardly, moving the wide combs single needle distances outwardly to space them from the narrow combs, repeating said cycle to form pairs of narrowing lines, the lines of each pair inclined toward each other, stopping the operation of the combs when the pairs of lines have formed points without moving the wide combs outwardly, terminating the covering action on the points, and locking the narrow combs to the wide combs preparatory to using them in a unitary manner.

3. The method of operating wide and narrow point combs and a covering knife of a full-fashioned knitting machine to form narrowing lines in the toe portion of a stocking blank comprising starting a cycle with the narrow point combs spaced a one needle distance from the wide combs, covering certain of the inner points of said narrow combs with said covering knife, lifting loops on points of said combs, moving the wide combs inwardly two needle spaces and the narrow combs one needle spaces, replacing the loops on the points back on the needles, idly moving the wide and narrow combs a one needle distance in the narrowing direction after each two needle and one needle transferring movement of the wide and narrow combs respectively, idly moving the wide combs outwardly to again space the wide combs from the narrow combs, repeating the cycle to form pairs of narrowing lines, each pair of lines converging to a diamond point, stopping the operation of the combs following the last inward loop transfer to form said point, stopping the action of the covering knife, locking the wide and narrow combs to each other, resetting the locked combs and moving them inwardly in two needle transferring movements, idly moving the locked combs outwardly one needle distance after each transferring movement, repeating the latter cycle to form a single line as a continuation of said diamond point.

4. The method of operating the wide and narrow point combs and a covering knife of a full-fashioned knitting machine comprising the steps of forming diamond points in the toe of a stocking blank including setting the wide combs single needle distances from the narrow combs, covering certain of the inner points in the narrow combs by said covering knife to prevent said certain points from engaging loops, engaging loops on uncovered points in the wide and narrow combs, transferring said loops inwardly two needle distances by the wide combs and single needle distances by the narrow combs, idly moving the wide and narrow combs a one needle distance in the narrowing direction after each transferring movement of the wide and narrow combs, idly moving the wide combs outwardly to again space the wide combs a. one needle distance from the narrow combs after each transferring movement of the combs, repeating said steps and progressively decreasing the number of points in the narrow combs engaging loops to cause the narrov. combs to form lines of fashion marks inclined toward the lines formed by the wide combs to thereby form said diamond points.

5. The method of operating the wide and narrow point combs and a covering knife of a full-fashioned knitting machine to form the diamond point fashion marks in the toe of a stocking blank comprising starting a cycle with the narrow point-combs spaced a one needle distance vfrom the wide point combs, lifting loops on points of said combs, moving the wide combs inwardly two needle spaces and the narrow combs one needle spaces, replacing the loops on the points back on the needles, idly moving the wide combs outwardly to space them a one needle distance from the narrow combs, repeating said cycle to form pairs of parallel lines of fashion marks, changing the cycle by covering certain of the inner points in the narrow point combs to prevent said points from engaging loops, idly moving the Wide and narrow combs a one needle distance in the narrowing direction after each two needle and one needle transferring movements of the uncovered points in the wide and narrow combs respectively, idly moving the wide combs outwardly to again space the wide combs a one needle distance from the narrow combs and repeating the latter cycle to cause each pair of lines of fashion marks to converge to a diamond point.

6. The method of operating a full-fashioned knitting machine having both an end stop spindle and a point comb spindle, pawl means for turning said spindles in both directions, end stops moved by said end stop spindle in both directions, narrow combs and wide combs arranged in pairs each containing a wide and narrow comb, said wide combs moved by said point comb spindle in both directions, and means to operate said pawl means, said method comprising the steps of operating said pairs of wide and narrow combs including setting the wide combs single needle distances from the narrow combs, moving both combs of the pairs inwardly, the wide combs two needle distances and the narrow combs single needle distances, moving both combs of the pairs together single needle distances inwardly, and moving said wide combs single needle distances outwardly to restore the single needle spacing between the wide and narrow combs of the pairs preparatory to repeating said steps.

7. The method of operating a full-fashioned knitting machine having both an end stop and a point comb spindle, pawl means for turning said spindles in both directions, end stops moved by said stop spindle in both directions, a narrow comb and a wide comb spaced a one needle distance from each other and arranged as a pair, said wide comb being adapted to be moved by said point comb spindle in both directions and means to operate said pawl means, points in said combs and means for covering certain of the points in said narrow comb, said method comprising the steps to form a diamond point in the toe of a stocking blank including transferring loops inwardly by both combs of the pair, a two needle distance by the wide comb and a single needle distance by the narrow comb, moving both combs together a single needle distance inwardly, moving said wide comb a single needle distance outwardly to restore the single needle spacing between the wide and narrow combs of the pair preparatory to repeating said steps, repeating said steps and covering out of action narrowing points at the inner end of the narrow comb at each narrowing operation to cause the narrow comb to form a line of fashion marks inclined toward the line formed by the wide comb to thereby form said diamond point.

8. The method of operating a full-fashioned knitting machine having end stop and point comb spindles, nar row point combs and wide point combs arranged in pairs each containing a wide and a narrow comb and operated by said point comb spindle, a covering knife, an actuator member having up and down movements, and pawls on said actuator for turning said spindles in both directions, said pawls including narrowing and Widening pawls for both spindles acting on the upstroke of the actuator member and a pull-down pawl acting to turn said comb spindle in the narrowing direction on the downstroke of the actuator member to make diamond points, said method comprising spacing the narrow and wide combs single needle distances apart, covering certain of the inner points of the narrow point combs with said covering knife, turning both spindles by narrowing pawls on the upstroke of the actuator to move both the end stops and the -wide point combs two needle distances and thereby the narrow point combs single needle distances and operating the narrowing machine to cause certain of the uncovered points in said pairs of combs to make fashion marks, turning the point comb spindle by the pull-down pawl on the downstroke of the actuator to move both the narrow and wide combs single needle distances inwardly, moving only the comb spindle by a 13 widening pawl acting on the upstroke 0f the actuator during a couliering stroke and when the narrowing machine is therefore idle to move the wide combs single needle distances from the narrow combs and repeating the cycle as desired.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Straussberger Nov. 12, 1940 

